Where Have All the Peppers Gone?… or… Would They Be Rats Without Those Bushy Tails?

Where have all the peppers gone? The ornamental peppers usually have a lovely display of red to start the winter season, but now there is none.

After closer examination, a small pile of ripe peppers were found in the bed.

Later, another pepper was spotted in a pot of marigolds under the mesh that was put on to protect the young plants. Obviously, not a barrier for the culprit.

As they say, there is a silver lining if you look close enough, really close. Behind the pepper is a tiny new pepper plant seedling just starting. There will surely be more scattered throughout the garden.

And who is responsible for all this upheaval in the garden? Our squirrel friends, who are tolerated just because of those cute bushy tails! This little fellow was on his way up the tree, when he saw the camera and turned around to pose for the shot.

The squirrels must watch me plant because later in the day I will find freshly planted bulbs or plants dug up and tossed aside and the hole dug deeper. It must be an natural instinct of following other animals around who bury food and trying to steal it?

I’m sorry to hear about your squirrel problem :(. You know, I had the EXACT same thing happen to my ornamental peppers. One day they magically vanished. Some of them were strewn about my patio. It had to be mice and/or squirrels. I’ve read that they’re fairly spicy, so I am more than a little bit surprised that something furry got to them! I assumed it was because the mouse and/or squirrel was a Texan :).